Alfred Schreuder will be the new head coach of football club Ajax with effect from the coming season. Ajax reports this on Thursday on the own website† 49-year-old Schreuder returns to the club where he previously worked for a season as an assistant coach under Erik ten Hag who left for Manchester United. Schreuder signs a contract with the Amsterdam football club for two seasons with an option for a third season.
Ajax takes over Schreuder from the Belgian Club Brugge, where he joined halfway through the current season and with which he is on course to become champion. After the successful 2018/2019 season, Schreuder left Ajax to work as head coach of the German TGS Hoffenheim, but the Bundesligaclub dissolved the contract with the trainer after one year, due to a difference of opinion about the course of the club. . After that, Schreuder found employment at FC Barcelona, where he worked as an assistant under Ronald Koeman for a year and a half.
‘Great opportunity’
Schreuder speaks in a first reaction of “a great opportunity, which I seize with both hands”. He says „prizes . at Ajax [te willen] win with a team that plays attractive football. With a good balance between experienced top players and the many great talents”.
Schreuder will probably face the task of building a new team at Ajax next summer. The national champion not only sees the successful trainer Erik ten Hag leave. The departure of several key players is also expected. Right back Noussair Mazraoui has already announced that he will leave for FC Bayern Munich on a free transfer. Left back Nicolás Tagliafico is also not extending his contract. Midfielder Ryan Gravenberch is also expected to leave.
As a football player, Schreuder played for Feyenoord, RKC Waalwijk and NAC Breda, among others. He also played briefly for FC Twente and Vitesse, clubs where he started working as an (assistant) trainer after his active football career.